Get Involved-Spotlight: Lifetime Connections without Walls.
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Lifetime Connections Without WallsSharing, Caring, and Learning
Mission: To provide companionship, education, socialization and recreation opportunities to older adults over the telephone.
Agency: Family Eldercare was founded in 1982 by a group of professionals concerned with supporting the family’s role as caregiver for frail elders through training and information. At the core of Family Eldercare’s mission is the philosophy that a neighborhood is a great place to grow old. Family Eldercare carries out its mission through a variety of programs, which are designed to prevent abuse, neglect, self-neglect and financial exploitation of elders and adults with disabilities, prolong independent living in the least restrictive environment, and promote the health, well-being and dignity of elders, adults with disabilities and their caregivers. Lifetime Connections Without Walls is one of our In-Home Care and Caregiver Services programs that allow older adults to enjoy growing old in their neighborhood.
Program: Lifetime Connections Without Walls is a free telephone based activities program designed to alleviate social isolation and loneliness among older adults in the Texas counties of Hays, Travis, and Williamson. Lifetime Connections also provides resource referrals to all participants, the majority of whom are homebound, have multiple chronic conditions and are unable to access traditional avenues of social activities. The program is funded by a grant from St. David’s Health’s Angels.
We bring participants together by using a conference call bridge to play games such as bingo, trivia, and brain aerobics, to listen to informational seminars on various topics, or to tell their life stories. Volunteers are the backbone of the program. Our volunteer’s constant enthusiasm, encouragement and motivation make the program sustainable. Our participants love the exposure and the opportunity to interact with volunteers from different age groups and backgrounds. Even though volunteers and participants cannot see each other’s faces, they connect with each other and convey warmth, humor and make a difference.
Volunteers Needed! Volunteers are always needed and are instrumental in enabling Lifetime Connections Without Walls to impact the lives of older adults in our community! You can volunteer for 30 to 60 minutes once a week to make a difference and to bring a smile, comfort and support into the lives of older adults. Companies working for a positive impact in the community can volunteer as a group and adopt one session a week. If you are interested in joining the growing network of volunteers who are working with the Lifetime Connections, please send us an email at mshetty@familyeldercare.org or call 512-628-1688 for more information.
You can help:
- As a reminder caller, call from your home or office to remind participants of scheduled activities; follow up with a call to the Program Coordinator.
- As a group facilitator, prepare and lead one or several group activities from your home or office.
- As a Bilingual (Spanish read and write) Volunteer, provide administrative support, assist with creating flyers and outreach to the local Hispanic community.
Do you have
- A willingness to build telephone relationships with older adults;
- Patience and tactfulness;
- Willingness to use home telephone or cell phone to host call-in sessions and/or to make reminder calls;
- Have a reliable telephone and phone service provider
Commitment:
- A minimum of 30-60 minutes once a week.
- 9 week commitment, renewable as needed but we can be flexible.
Lifetime Connections Without Walls (LCWW)Family Eldercare2210 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78756Phone: 512.628.1688 Fax: 512-459-6436Online: www.familyeldercare.org
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